Reaper Bones 77142 Townsfolk: Blacksmith

I did what I always seem to do when I want to knock out a quick Saturday morning painting project - reach for where I store the figures I received from the first Reaper Bones Kickstarter. Not wanting to fall into a rut, I avoided the fantasy adventurers and monsters that make up the majority of my collection. This figure is one of the "Townsfolk" figures included in the Bones line.

A blacksmith would likely be wearing a leather apron while working hot metal. With brown already being a big part of the paint scheme, I challenged myself by sticking with neutral colors. It didn't seem likely to me that a blacksmith would wear his best and brightest clothes while working.

Cleaning
Painful experience taught me that a through cleaning pays off with Bones miniatures. A firm toothbrush, warm soap and water, and a little elbow grease goes a long way towards avoiding issues later on.

Basing
The relatively small integral bases and light weight material result in many Bones figures falling over during play. The weight and wider area added by gluing a one inch steel fender washer to the bottom of the integral base gives the figure much more stability. I spray prime the washers in batches beforehand for convenience.

Priming
The usual mix of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium and a base color paint - brown in this case - brushed over the entire figure.

Skin
I'm growing to like Reaper 09260 Bronzed Skin. The color is a yellow-brown rather than the light brown of Reaper 09044 Tanned Skin and works well with a brown wash. I'm not planning on using either paint as a replacement for the other. Both have their uses and I enjoy having more options.

Hair and Tools
Citadel Colour Codex Grey is the base color of the figure's hair and metal tools.

Clothing
Reaper 09284 Lonestar Leather is turning into my first choice for worn leather or brown cloth. I followed it up by brushing Reaper 09110 Oiled Leather over the raised areas as a highlight.

Wood
I wanted a darker brown for the tree stump that the anvil is sitting on and the handles of the hand tools. Reaper 09028 Muddy Brown provides a good contrast with the lighter browns used for the clothing.

Washes
Originally, I was planning to use Army Painter Warpaints Quickshade Dark Tone only on the grey painted areas. However, I needed deeper shading everywhere, so I ended up brushing it over the entire figure. That was followed by a coat of Army Painter Warpaints Quickshade Strong Tone.

Basing
The usual mix of sand, PVA glue, brown paint, and water to texture and blend the integral base and the steel fender washer together. I skipped brushing on a lighter color paint over the sand since I didn't want there to be too much contrast been the base and the figure.

This was a fast and fun project. A blacksmith is a staple inhabitant of any per-industrial village or town, so this figure seemed to be a good place to start on the "Townsfolk" figures. They are a refreshing change from the usual fantasy figure.

Pegasus Hobbies Technobridge

This is the Technobridge from Pegasus Hobbies. This is a "classic" product that I've been saving as quick and easy project. It's a relatively simple challenge that's still satisfying to finish.

Assembled and painted Technobridge with packaging.

The Technobridge is sold by Pegasus Hobbies as part of their Museum Models Collection. In spite of that, this product is clearly marketed for a certain miniatures wargame set in a grimdark future where there is only screaming, swinging weaponized chainsaws, and shooting at things. I've seen this product around since at least the early 2000s, but the packaging lacks any copyright information.

No written instructions are included, but putting together the twelve parts in the box is straightforward. Clean up took longer than assembly. There were some pegs to be cut off and a small amount of flash that needed the attention of a craft knife. The parts snap together using tabs and slots. The bridge surface is composed of two flat sections and two sloped ends. Eight parts make up the railings - four straight and four sloped to go on the ends. The box states that glue is "recommended, but not required." The parts fit together tightly enough for a display piece, but this particular bridge is destined to serve on the tabletop. I followed the recommendation and glued my bridge together.

Close up of Technobridge details and underside. How the parts join together can be seen on the right. I'm not sure why the bottom is detailed with rivets.

When the weather finally cleared enough to permit it, I reached for the rattle cans and went to work. The first coat is Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Black. It provides a non-reflective surface and doesn't need primer when used on plastic. I followed that up with a coat of Krylon ColorMaster Paint + Primer Metallic Silver. I wanted a patchy, weathered look, so I didn't spray for complete coverage. A layer of dark wash accents the worn appearance. Experience taught me that washes tend to bead when applied directly on some Krylon paints. I used a sponge to wipe away the excess to prevent this and provide some streaking to suggest the direction of traffic over the bridge. The final touch is a little Craft Smart Premium Wax Silver Metallic Finish applied with a cloth to highlight some of the raised areas.

The assembled piece forms a raised arch that seems study enough to support large plastic models. The packaging mentions "Dirt Plunderer battle tanks" to give an idea of what models were in mind when it went to market. The plastic seems thick enough for regular handling, but I'm not looking forward to the improvised drop tests that occur during play.

Rosie directs a pair of oversized droids across the Technobridge.

The packaging gives the dimensions as "12 3/32" long x 7 3/32" wide" for a single assembled Technobridge. The packaging also mentions that the modular design allows multiple kits to be assembled into a longer structure. I'm not sure if I would go further than doubling the length. More than that and I would have concerns about how much weight it could support.

The industrial appearance of the Technobridge means that it should fit in a variety of settings ranging from sci-fi to steampunk. Although it was made with 28mm figures in mind, it could be used for 15mm games as long as nobody looks at the size of the rivets too closely. At $16 USD retail, it offers good value considering the versatility of the product.

Side view with 28mm Reaper Miniatures figure provided for scale. 

I had a fun time putting the Technobridge together and painting it up. It's fairly straightforward project and sometimes that just what I need to get me back on track.

Reaper Bones 77057 Juliette, Female Sorceress

Juliette - 77057 of Reaper's Bones line - might have the least inspired title for a miniature that I've run across. "Female Sorceress" seems redundant, at least. In any case, this is another figure from the first Reaper Bones Kickstarter.

Juliette in her natural environment - a dungeon grid.

The color scheme I used for this figure is inspired by the Erol Otus cover for the 1981 Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set. That product has a special place in my heart - it was my ticket into tabletop gaming. Something about Juliette reminded me of the woman spell caster depicted on that cover. Maybe I'll keep more classic gaming artwork in mind for future projects.

Cleaning
As always, I start with a through scrubbing with a stiff brush and warm soap and water. It removes any residue from manufacturing or handling that might cause issues during the painting process.

Basing
Gluing a spray primed steel fender washer to the integral base gives the figure more stability. The lightweight Bones miniatures have a habit of falling over without this step.

Priming
I choose a mix of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium and Reaper 09028 Muddy Brown this time around. Brown makes a good underlayer for the skin, hair, and accessory colors. It also works well with red, which doesn't always coat well over a coat of grey or black.

Skin
Reaper 09047 Fair Skin is a reliable way of putting a pale skin tone on a miniature.

Three quarters view.

Hair
The Reaper 09257 Blond Hair I used on Juliette produces a bright golden hair color. I might experiment with adding a little white for a platinum blond in a future project. For a darker, honey blond, Reaper 09074 Palomino Gold works well, but I wanted the hair to stand out from the dress.

Clothing
I used two coats of paint for the red dress. Reaper 09278 Gory Red provides a dark base color. Reaper 09279 Fresh Blood was used as a highlight color.

Accessories
The corset, boots, and belt were all painted in Reaper 09284 Lonestar Leather. I tried going for a glass effect for the bottles on Juliette's belt, but I didn't like the results and painted over it. Besides, any glass containers should be protected by pouches during a dungeon delve.

Washes
I applied a layer of Secret Weapon W005 Flesh Wash over the entire figure. It worked well on the hair, skin, and accessories, but may have darkened the dress a little too much. To correct for this, I tried a coat of Secret Weapon W025 Just Red on the dress.

Basing
I used a little sand to texture the steel washer base and blend it with the integral base. The combined base elements were painted with FolkArt 231 Real Brown followed by a dry brushing with FolkArt 420 Linen. This produces the look of dry or sandy ground.

Rear view. Somebody downrange is receiving a magic missile.

The dress turned out darker than I intended, but I like how it contrasts with the rest of the figure. Since I planned out similar color schemes for both figures, I painted Juliette at the same time as Hasslefree Miniatures HFSF202 Lt Thoran. Many of the same paints were used for both figures, but the reds turned out a little different due to the washes I used.

Hasslefree Miniatures HFSF202 LT Thoran

This is LT Thoran - a figure is from Hasslefree Miniatures' line of original power armored sci-fi troopers. The line currently contains eight figures, including one of Merys Thoran in an earlier phase of her career. I purchased a couple figures from the line as test pieces. I figured that I could get the rest later if the first ones worked out.

Front view. I'm thinking she looks a little startled.

I mulled over possible paint schemes for awhile before deciding on dark red for the armor. Grey has been done better than I can manage. I was concerned that the figure's details might get a little lost with a metallic paint. The blood red armor is inspired by the color scheme I used for Commander Shepherd during my Mass Effect play-through.

Cleaning
Starting with a good scrubbing with a brush and warm soap and water removes any manufacturing residue.

Basing
I glued the tab of the miniature into the slot of a Reaper 30mm round plastic base, leaving space between the bottom of the figure's feet and the base. This prevents the figure's nicely sculpted boots from getting buried by the sand I use for texturing the base in a later step.

Priming
Having run out of auto body primer, I used Krylon Krylon COLORmaxx Paint + Primer in Matte Deep Gray.

Underlayer
I've gotten poor results from painting skin tones and red directly over grey primer. This time, I experimented with a coat of Formula P3 Menoth White Base over the entire figure. It provides a good base for skin tones and I hoped it would do the same for the red armor.

Skin
Reaper 09047 Fair Skin works reliably to produce pale skin, especially over a coat of brown or Formula P3 Menoth White Base. A coat of Secret Weapon W005 Flesh Wash brought out the figure's facial features.

Side view. I had to straighten the rifle a little before priming, but that's not unexpected for a metal miniature.

Hair
I purchased a bottle of Reaper 09257 Blond Hair recently and decided to give it a try. It's lighter than the Reaper 09074 Palomino Gold I usually use, which might have been a better choice for this figure. I applied a layer of Secret Weapon W005 Flesh Wash to slightly darken the color and accentuate the hair texture.

Armor
The base color for the armor is Reaper 09278 Gory Red. Reaper 09279 Fresh Blood was used as highlight.

Weapon and Armor Details
I used Citadel Codex Grey for the weapon, armor joints, boot soles, and helmet visor. The neutral color contrasts with the red armor without standing out too much.

Weapon and Armor Wash
Next came a coat of Secret Weapon W001 Soft Body Black Wash over the armor and accessories. This darkened the reds and greys as well as bringing out the details.

Basing
Not everyone likes sand - it's coarse and rough and gets everywhere - but it works well to texture a base with a mix of glue, FolkArt 231 Real Brown paint, and water to hold it in place. I forgot to tape the bottom of the base to keep the sand mix from flowing around the hole between the tab and slot. That resulted in a gap appearing in the sand texturing. I resolved the issue by gluing a small rock over the gap. I brushed a little FolkArt 420 Linen over the sand to simulate the appearance of dry or sandy soil.

Rear view.

This is the fourth Hasslefree miniature I've completed and I had a fun time with all of them. They are detailed enough to be challenging, but not intimidating for my current skill level. I'm looking forward to beginning the next one!

Let's Talk About the Weather - Rain

It's been unseasonably wet in these parts lately. Which has put a crimp on my plans to spray primer and paint on the projects I have in the pipeline. On the other hand, it's inspired me to discuss how rain can complicate things in a wargame scenario or roleplaying encounter.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay.

Not every battle happens in ideal weather conditions. Opportunities and objectives don't wait for it to be nice outside. Sometimes the sky opens up on what seemed to be a calm day. And there are those tacticians who favor taking action when their opponents are exercising the sane option of staying indoors when it's raining cats and dogs.

Let's paint a scene and break down how each factor introduced by a rain storm can be gamed out:

The day looked nice and sunny until the clouds rolled in. The rain and dim light drained the color out of everything. Things at a distance were concealed by the grey mist and darkness, only glimpsed at when the lightning flashed. The sound of steady rain hitting every surface masked every noise except for the occasional peal of thunder. Anything could have been moving through the trees and buildings without fear of being heard or spotted. Footing was unsure in the thick mud. Soaked clothes and the dampness make even the most disciplined minds miserable and sloppy. Too much time spent in the cold and wet invited illness. Only those with keen wits, sharp senses, and reckless abandon would seek battle in these conditions.

Image by enriquelopezgarre from Pixabay.

Visibility

The rain, mists forming from the rain striking the terrain, and the lack of sunlight all reduce visibility. Many games have rules for fighting in low light conditions. Use those to model the limited visibility of a heavy storm.

Clouds and steady rain might impose penalties equivalent to dim lighting.
Complete cloud cover combined with a heavy downpour might impose penalties equal to night.
Actual nighttime lighting conditions combined with rain may impose penalties equal to complete darkness.

The mist and rain tends to conceal things at a distance. There might be sight and spotting penalties at longer ranges.

A flash of lightning offers the equivalent of full daylight, but only for an instant. This is enough to spot something or take a snap shot, but not for a slow scan of the surroundings or a carefully aimed attack.

Keen senses and advanced sensory equipment can mitigate some of the effects of a heavy storm, but not negate them. Thermal imaging, for example, is negatively impacted by humidity. Penalties might be reduced, but not removed entirely.

Image by marmax from Pixabay.

Noise

The noise of rain hitting the ground and every horizontal surface drowns out the sound of anything else. Expressing this mechanically depends on the system. Some might grant a bonus to stealthy movement while other may impose a penalty to dice tests involving hearing.

Movement noises - footsteps, pushing through foliage, heavy breathing - will be masked by the sound of rainfall.

Characters may have to raise their voices to be understood in heavy rain. Whispering would be impractical and passing notes depends on the light available. The sound of someone shouting to be heard could give away their presence.

Slick Surfaces and Mud

The risk of slipping on wet surfaces like concrete or stone can be represented with dice tests or a minor movement penalty. Failed checks result in a loss of movement distance (representing a slip and time to regain balance) or a fall (imposed on a critical failure - results are a complete stop and minor damage if the the fall is especially nasty).

An inch or so of slick mud can be handled like a wet surface. Deeper mud presents the problem of getting stuck. A failed movement test may result in the model or character halting in place until a follow up test to get freed is passed.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay.

Flooding

Flash floods are a danger in low lying areas, forcing rapid repositioning to avoid the threat. Likewise, streams and rivers may overflow their banks and carry away the unwary. Roads may become inaccessible as they become submerged. Vehicles risk becoming losses if they attempt to cross a flooded section of road.

Morale Effects

Dealing with discomfort of cold rainwater and thick mud can bring down the mood of all but the most highly motivated individuals. This could justify a small morale penalty. Dice tests could be be required for taking actions that potentially make things worse - a patrol on foot through muddy areas, standing guard during a storm, etc. Failure could result in shirking as the individuals effected take shelter from the storm rather than carry out their duties.

Health Effects

Prolonged exposure to severe weather events tend to increase the chance of getting sick. Not all game systems model illness, but a small penalty to represent a head cold (or equivalent) might be imposed for individuals left out in the rain for too long.

Image by MICHOFF from Pixabay.

I hope that this shows how rain can mess things up in play, but in a fun way. The photos for this post were all downloaded from the free image site Pixabay. Adding convincing rain to my own photos turned out to be beyond my current photo editing skills. I tried thinking up a way to do it as a practical effect, but that would make more of a mess than I wanted to mop up!

Reaper Bones 77523 C'thulhu Shrine

"It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind. This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence, and squatted evilly on a rectangular block or pedestal covered with undecipherable characters. The tips of the wings touched the back edge of the block, the seat occupied the centre, whilst the long, curved claws of the doubled-up, crouching hind legs gripped the front edge and extended a quarter of the way down toward the bottom of the pedestal. The cephalopod head was bent forward, so that the ends of the facial feelers brushed the backs of huge fore paws which clasped the croucher’s elevated knees."

- "The Call of Cthulhu" - H.P. Lovecraft

Barbarian mercenaries back on guard duty. (28mm scale Reaper Miniatures figures provided for comparison.)

I purchased this figure at the same time as the Reaper Bones 77525 Great Obelisk of C'thulhu.

Compared to the Great Obelisk, this figure is closer to the description of the "grotesque, repulsive, and apparently very ancient stone statuette" of Cthulhu in most aspects except for its size. The figure in the story was "between seven and eight inches in height" and light enough to be "passed slowly from man to man for close and careful study" even though it was made of stone. At 28mm scale, this figure would stand taller than a human and weigh in at over a thousand pounds.

Rear three quarters view.

Like the Great Obelisk of C'thulhu, this figure uses the newer grey plastic rather than the white Bones material. I painted this figure at the same time as the Great Obelisk, mostly using the same techniques. The differences are noted below.

Assembly
The figure comes in two parts - the main body and the wings. The wing section has a tab that fits neatly into a slot between the shoulders of the main body. It is possible to put the wings on upside down! I checked the Reaper Miniatures website and other sources to make sure that I was assembling the figure correctly.

Basing
I used a 40mm round plastic base rather than a 50mm base.

Miskatonic University's interstellar expeditions department is at it again. Just don't read any inscriptions aloud, folks.

The Shrine is more detailed and more faithful to the descriptions in Lovecraft's original stories than the Great Obelisk. On the other hand, the Great Obelisk is still clearly inspired by Lovecraft and is more massive and imposing on the table than the Shrine. Getting both is a viable option - neither is particularly expensive, with the Shrine at $3.99 USD and the Great Obelisk at $4.99 USD.

Somebody read an inscription aloud.

I'm planning on using the two figures in different contexts. The Great Obelisk is big enough to make an impression on its own. It could be the centerpiece of a big fight with a group of cultists. Alternately, it could turn up in the ruins the player characters are exploring, indicating a connection with Cthulhu worship. The Shrine might work better as part of a bigger whole. Maybe as the centerpiece of a temple dedicated to Cthulhu, sharing the table with other cosmic horror inspired terrain.

Reaper Bones 77525 Great Obelisk of C'thulhu

This figure was purchased during my first visit to a local gaming store in quite awhile. I painted it up as a weekend project. It will come in handy the next time I run a game featuring a certain Great Old One.

A pair of barbarian mercenaries guard a weird statue. Their robed employers are a little strange, but their coin spends the same as any other. (28mm scale Reaper Miniatures figures provided for comparison.)

The color scheme was inspired by a scene in "Call of Cthulhu" (the story, not the game). It includes a description of "a grotesque, repulsive, and apparently very ancient stone statuette" of a certain cosmic horror. H.P. Lovecraft uses the terms "greenish" and "greenish-black" for the color of the stone. I ignored the comments describing the "golden or iridescent flecks and striations" for simplicity's sake. This was a weekend project, not something I was shooting for perfection on.

The figure is made from the newer grey Bones material rather than the white Bones plastic I'm used to working on. I decided to use the techniques I usually use rather than experiment. My habit of only using craft paint on terrain pieces reared its head - I used FolkArt paints almost exclusively except for the plastic base and washes.

Rear three quarters view. The inscriptions go all around the figure.

Preparation
I gave the figure a good scrubbing with warm soap and water to remove any manufacturing residue. There were no noticeable mold lines.

Basing
Although it comes with an integral base, I glued the figure on a Reaper 74036 2" Round Plastic RPG Base for additional stability. I primed the base with auto body spray primer before gluing it to the figure.

Priming/First Coat
I mixed a few drops of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium with FolkArt 479 Pure Black and brushed it over the entire figure. This provided a good underlayer for the dark green paint scheme I was planning for this figure.

Second Coat
Next came a mix of FolkArt 644 Grass Green, FolkArt 2561 Steel Grey, and FolkArt 479 Pure Black to create the "greenish-black" in H.P. Lovecraft's description. I mixed the paints by eye, so I'm not sure about the ratios. This coat was lightly brushed over the figure. The intent was to avoid getting too much paint into the recesses, allowing the initial coat of black to show through as shadows.

Highlight Layer
I drybrushed a little FolkArt 544 Grass Green over the raised areas and corners of the figure. It created a nice, otherworldly effect - almost a glow - that fit with the cosmic horror theme.

An expedition from Miskatonic University's Terra Nova campus investigates an unusual find on an airless moon. (15mm scale GZG figures provided for comparison.)

First Wash Layer
Additional shading was provided by a layer of Reaper 09255 Black Wash brushed over the entire figure. It also brought out the recessed details - especially the symbols - that were starting to get lost in all the dark green.

Second Wash Layer
Secret Weapon W008 Baby Poop Wash was the key to a previous Cthulhu-related project. I decided to use it on this project for consistency. A coat of the green-brown wash tied everything together.

Basing
The final step was to use some sand to texture the plastic base to blend it in with the integral base. The sand was held in place with a mix of Aleene's Tacky Glue, FolkArt 231 Real Brown, and water. After allowing it to dry, I brushed on some FolkArt 420 Linen to give simulate dry soil or sandy terrain. A coat of FolkArt 479 Pure Black was painted on the edge of the plastic base.

Front three quarters view. I hope those guys got paid in advance.

This is a fairly simple figure that gets the point across. It's a hefty chunk of plastic that doesn't have an exciting amount of detail, but it's size gives it a presence on the table. It should work for a variety of scales.

Throwback Project - Secret Weapon Tablescapes Rolling Fields Test Tiles

These terrain pieces were part of Secret Weapon Miniatures' Tablescapes Tiles line. Each 12x12 inch tile is made of sturdy injection molded plastic and locks together using clips. I received a box of sixteen tiles as a Kickstarter backer reward several years ago. I choose the Rolling Fields tiles as the ones with the most utility. Uneven natural terrain featuring a dry creek bed works in any number of settings ranging from fantasy to modern to sci-fi. Secret Weapon Miniatures seem to have phased out the Tablescapes Tiles line and the Rolling Fields are no longer available on their website.

The pair of tiles I painted and detailed as test pieces.

I decided to pick out a couple of tiles as test pieces rather than tackle the whole box of sixteen at once. Some of the techniques I used were tested on the Games Workshop Moonscape Craters earlier this year. Using spray paints cut down painting time considerably, even though I ended up waiting for periods of moderate humidity to get the painting done. I also used a post on the Secret Weapon Miniatures blog for inspiration. The techniques I used differed from the ones described in that post, but they were handy as a reference.

Comparison of the top and bottom of the tiles. The underside is unprimed and unpainted, showing the original color of the plastic.

Preparation
There wasn't any flash or mold lines to cut off, so I went directly to the other kind of clean up. A short soak and some scrubbing in warm soap and water did the trick.

Spray Priming/Painting - First Layer
I sprayed Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Black over the upper surface, using two thin coats to get into all the recesses. Experience has taught me that Krylon Camouflage bonds well to plastic, so I was able to skip priming the tile.

Spray Painting - Second Layer
Next was a coat of Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Brown. I wasn't worried about getting it into every nook and cranny. Any black still showing in the recesses would appear to be shading. I could still see the black through the brown in some areas, but I decided against another coat of brown. Since soil is not uniform in color, I felt that such variations made the tiles look more natural.

A trio of warriors make their way over the dusty badlands.

Spray Painting - Final Layer
I used Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Khaki for the last coat of spray paint. It was applied at an angle so that some of the previous coats would still show through, especially in the recesses. Krylon Camouflage produces convincing natural colors - as the name implies - and the finish has little or no gloss.

Detailing
The brush work started as I painted the rocks using FolkArt 2561 Steel Grey. Looking back, the rocks really shouldn't be the same color. The later highlight and wash layers disguise their uniform color, but I might try for more variation for the next batch. Also, I didn't paint every single rock - just picking out the larger ones was enough for me.

A certain landing party explores another arid planet.

Highlight
I drybrushed a little FolkArt 420 Linen over the surface of each tile to bring out some of the raised details and provide more color variation.

Wash
I mixed a wash using FolkArt 231 Real Brown, a little Liquitex Matte Medium, and water. Then I reached for the biggest hobby brush I own to apply it to both tiles. The final step was to wipe off the excess with a sponge. The wash also seems to have settled deeper into the recesses of the flatter tile, resulting in a darker color. The effect isn't too jarring in most lighting conditions, so I'm not concerned enough to try to correct it. There is also some pooling and streaking visible in some areas.

Close up of the two tiles placed together. Note the slight color difference between the two tiles.

Flock and Static Grass
I decided to go light on the greenery for the first pass. It's in keeping with the dry, desolate look I was going for with the paint scheme. Besides, covering up the texturing on the tiles seemed like a bit of a waste to me.

Overall, the paint scheme turned out the way I wanted - suggesting a place where it hasn't rained in awhile. Maybe it's a little too dry. I may go back for another pass with the flock and static grass. If nothing else, it will cover up some parts where I got a little too aggressive with applying the drybrushing or wash. After that, I'll start knocking these out a tiles or two at a time.

The Klingon Prison Ship IKS Shelka - A Star Trek Adventures Mission Treatment

Sharing another idea from my dusty pile of notes. As before, I present the basic idea and comment on how it can be adapted to different circumstances and eras of Star Trek.


IKS Shelka

There are times when the Klingon Empire has a prisoner that is too high risk for Rura Penthe and too valuable to execute.

One solution is to take a decommissioned battlecruiser out of mothballs and convert it into a mobile maximum security prison. A variety of battlecruisers have served in this role over the decades. The ship is referred to as IKS Shelka in classified records, but it runs under a number of false names and registries conceal its identity and purpose. Shelka is typically deployed to remote parts of the Empire with a carefully vetted crew and their charges. Any observers it would assume it to be another obsolete warship serving out its last days patrolling a backwater sector.

In 2371, IKS Shelka is a K't'inga-class battlecruiser with transponder codes declaring it to be any of a dozen other Klingon warships of the same class. Holographic emitters can change the name and registry painted on the hull in the unlikely chance that the captain lets another ship get close enough for a look. Shelka runs under cloak at random times to throw off attempts to track it. The ship's flight plans are highly classified and the captain has the authority to change course on a whim if there is any suspicion that Shelka is being pursued. As a last resort, Shelka retains its full armament and a reinforced compliment of security personnel. Shelka's captain and crew are under orders to take all necessary measures to keep their charges secure.


"Person of Interest"

Shelka is an expensive prison to run and space is limited. Individuals are sent there only if they are worth the trouble. One such individual happens to be the only person in the galaxy who has the answers the player characters are looking for. Unfortunately, the Klingon Empire isn't keen on giving up the latest prisoner of Shelka. Starfleet Intelligence knows of the existence of Shelka, but hunting down a battlecruiser in a remote sector of the Klingon Empire is an adventure in itself.

This may work best in eras when the interests of the Federation and Klingon Empire aren't aligned. TOS is the obvious choice, but Shelka isn't likely a K't'inga in that era - I'd use a D7 upgraded with a cloaking device instead. There is also the period of tension and outright war in 2372-2373. With most of the Klingon fleet either invading the Cardassian Union or engaging Starfleet, there would be an opening for a single starship to slip into Klingon space and find Shelka.

Alternately, the Klingon Empire could be reluctant to give up the prisoner even to an ally. The individual may possess information that might harm the Empire or the reputation of one or more of its high officials. In that case, finding Shelka is the only option. A Starfleet crew might try persuading Shelka's captain to allow them to question the prisoner. Klingon player characters may opt for a more direct approach and worry about the political consequences later.


"Run for the Border"

The KDF detects Shelka making a high speed run for the borders of the Klingon Empire. All communications were lost days ago. Now, with the prison ship running for another polity's space, they assume the worst. There is a KDF task force already on its heels, but they are too far behind to catch up before it reaches the border. The Klingons must find some way of slowing, stopping, or destroying Shelka.

The Klingon Empire captured someone of value from another organization and placed them in one of the Empire's most secure facilities. The covert arm of that organization sent in a team on a fast ship, intercepted Shelka, and freed the prisoner. Their mission was complicated when their ship was destroyed in the process. The individual, the covert operations team, and any prisoners they could convince to join their cause took the only option available - seize control of Shelka and make a run for it!

How things play out depends on the organizations involved:

The Cardassian military might have a few warships standing by on their side of the border, but won't risk escalating the situation unless they are already at war with the Klingon Empire (any time after 2372).

There is a brief period in 2371 when the Obsidian Order has the warships to support their covert operation team, but might not want to play that card.

In periods where the Federation and the Klingon Empire are in conflict, this could be a covert Starfleet operation to extract a high value asset or captured Federation official. The player characters could be on the covert operations team aboard Shelka or on a starship trying to intercept Shelka before the Klingon task force can catch up. Escape attempts by the other prisoners will complicate these efforts. Additionally, any surviving Shelka crew will take any opportunity to prevent escape, even if they have to destroy the ship.

If the Federation and the Klingon Empire are allies during the adventure, the player characters' starship could receive a call for aid in intercepting Shelka before it can escape. This may present a moral quandary for a Federation starship crew if no alternative to destroying Shelka presents itself. Alternately, the player characters could receive a call for help from Shelka - the prisoners want to claim asylum within the Federation! Things get awkward when the Klingons show up wanting their prisoners back.

The prisoner may be a Klingon renegade with information that the Empire wants, but has resisted all attempts at interrogation. The prisoner might be rescued by mercenaries hired as deniable assets by other Klingons. Romulans if the prisoner is associated with the House of Duras. Or associates of the prisoner from the Orion Syndicate.

The Orion Syndicate might arrange for another fast ship to take the prisoner and the team to safety before Shelka can be intercepted, but aren't likely to take on a Klingon task force.

The Romulan Star Empire could be relying on its military or the Tal Shiar to run such an extraction operation. In either case, cloaked warbirds are likely already on the way to intercept Shelka. In the case of the Romulan military, they may have enough force on hand to make a fight of it with the pursuing Klingon task force. The Tal Shiar may not have that kind of firepower, but are likely to have something tricky in mind.

Tutorial - On Prepping Reaper Bones

Something that comes up in every post about painting a Reaper Bones miniature is describing how I prepare it beforehand. I don't want to skip or gloss over the details - it's potentially valuable information for anyone unfamiliar with the plastic used in earlier Bones figures. On the other hand, there's a fair number of steps involved and I don't want spend too much time on them every time I publish a Bones post. It gets repetitive. And I'm running out of ways to rephrase the information.

This post describes the process that works best for me. It is partly the result of information I found online - credit and links to those sources are provided. I came by the rest the old fashioned way - trial and error.

Note that this process is specific to the white plastic used in earlier Bones miniatures such as those from the first Kickstarter. I don't currently have any experience with the light grey plastic used in more recent Bones figures manufactured in the USA or the dark grey plastic in Reaper's Bones Black line. I'll be learning how to work with those materials when I get to those parts of my collection.


Cleaning

My first step with any model is a through scrubbing in warm soap and water. No special detergents or tools - just dishwashing soap and a toothbrush with firm bristles. The residue from manufacturing can remain on Bones miniatures even after a long period of storage. A good cleaning removes it along with any skin oils from handling.

Reaper Bones miniatures after gluing them on to washer bases, before brushing on primer mix.

Steel Fender Washer

I keep a stack of one inch steel fender washers that I previously spray primed around for Bones and other plastic miniatures. Gluing a washer to the underside of the integral base of a Bones miniature keeps it from falling over on the table. The extra weight and wider base adds stability, but the washer is thin enough not to add too much height to the figure. I got the idea from Chris Palmer at All Bones About It, who is much further along with his Bones collection than I am. Blending the integral base with the flat surface of the washer is a process I describe further below.


Priming

Brushing on FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium is recommended in this post on the Reaper forums. Some folks have good results from painting directly on the plastic, but I had issues when I tried that approach. I've also had fair, but workable results from using Liquitex Matte Medium whenever I've run out of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium. It didn't seem to hold the paint as well, requiring an additional coat to get good coverage.

Since both mediums are clear and difficult to see on the white plastic, I add a few drops of paint to see what parts of the figure are coated. Another benefit is that the paint tends to collect in the recesses, making the details easier for me to see. I use either a brown or black paint, based on what colors I'm planning to use on the figure.

I avoid using spray paints or primers on Bones miniatures. The results from the one time I tried were poor. The surface of that miniature never got better, even after I plowed ahead and painted over the spray paint. "Rolf" ended up in the recycle bin when even a long soak in Simple Green didn't fix the problem.

After brushing on primer mix. This is usually the step when I discover all the details - including the mold lines I missed.

Base Texturing

I typically finish a Bones miniature by mixing some PVA glue, brown craft paint, and just enough water to improve the flow. The mix gets brushed over the surface of the integral base and the washer. Then I sprinkle enough sand to provide texture and blend both surfaces together.

I used to brush on PVA glue and water to hold the sand in place, wait for it to dry, then apply the brown paint. Adding the paint to the watered down glue streamlines the process.

The final step happens after the mix has dried completely and the sand is securely in place. I dry brush some light tan or linen colored craft paint over the sand. How much depends on the results I'm after - a little to simulate dry earth, more to give the base a sandy appearance.


The above goes into the process I use with Bones miniatures in much more detail than anything I've presented previously. I'll be linking to this post in future posts featuring Reaper Bones miniatures.